Abstract

The results from this study indicated that the accessibility of negative alcohol memory associations was higher in alcohol contexts as participants generated more alcohol-related responses to the negative alcohol-related behavioural outcomes. As no effect of context was observed for positive alcohol memory associations, it was postulated that this type of memory association might become activated prior to or during decisions to consume alcohol. In addition, the results indicated that activated negative memory associations might not exert an influential role over decisions to consume alcohol. The results form this study provided further support for the Alcohol-Related Association Memory model of alcohol use.

The findings from the series of studies provided support for the Alcohol-Related Association Memory model of alcohol use. In addition to replicating previous research findings, concerning the relationship between alcohol use and positive outcomes of this behaviour, the research findings showed that a relationship between alcohol use and negative outcomes of this behaviour is evident when an appropriate assessment tool is used.

In addition to demonstrating that alcohol memory associations are strengthened in relation to current alcohol consumption level, the results from Study 3 showed that the length of an alcohol consumption history relates to the strength and subsequent accessibility of positive and negative alcohol memory associations. It was also indicated that activated negative alcohol memory associations might not exert an influential role over behavioural decisions. Alcohol association memory research, conducted thus far, has shown that there is a relationship between alcohol consumption experience and strength of alcohol memory associations. However, the effect that activated memory associations have on actual alcohol consumption, has not yet been established. Therefore, future research suggestions address this issue.